By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Kabul: Afghanistan created history on Saturday by turning out in large number to vote for the first transition of power since Hamid Karzai took over after NATO intervention in 2001, braving the incessant rain and threats issued by Taliban.
In weeks preceding the elections, Taliban had particularly targeted the election campaigns, journalists, Independent Election Commission, etc. in order to create panic among the citizens to keep them away from voting. However, Afghans who are tired of 30 years of conflict came out in large number, although it was raining the whole day to vote, perhaps to register their protest against Taliban, as also wishing for a peaceful transition.
Another takeaway of the election turnout was large number of women who queued for hours to vote. The number of women was particularly high in cities.
According to Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission about 7 million that is about 58% of the eligible voters took part in the April 5 presidential election. This turnout is certainly highest in the contemporary history of Afghanistan’s experiment with democracy.
Shortage of ballot papers were reported at several centers across the country around afternoon. IEC chief Yusuf Nuristani, however, defended the Commission saying that the turnout was beyond their expectations and that initially they had sent 600 ballots to every polling site and more ballots were immediately sent.
In last two weeks, the Taliban had attacked the Serena Hotel, the main office and a provincial office of the Independent Election Commission (IEC), another guest house, killing scores. On Wednesday, a suicide attack at the Interior Ministry had killed at least six security personnel and injured four others. However, it was much to the credit of the Afghanistan’s security forces that the voting at 6,212 polling stations was largely peaceful.
About 352,000 security forces were deployed nationwide to provide security. According to the Interior Ministry, 140 attacks were planned in past 24 hours in which nine police and six army soldiers lost their lives. 89 insurgents were also killed as a result of ANSF operations, Interior Minister Umer Daudzai said on Saturday night.
Former foreign minister and a leading Presidential candidate Zalmai Rassoul commended the security forces. “Today’s election showed our security forces are capable of taking proper security measures for the country,” he said. Another front-runner, Dr. Abduallah Abdullah said that the Afghan security forces “honoured their commitment to the nation.” Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, considered favorite by many, too tweeted, “ANSF did their job with honesty and bravery. We can’t thank them enough. They have proven their ability to protect and defend this nation.”
Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) has so far received over 200 complaints which they will examine. The number of complaints may go up by Monday.
There are apprehensions of a peaceful transition of power among common Afghans as the society is largely divided on ethnic lines. Although there are eight candidates in the race, the cntest largely appears to be three ways among Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Dr Zalmai Rassoul and Dr Abdullah Abdullah.
Outgoing President Hamid Karzai said, “Today the people of Afghanistan exhibited a great show of democracy to the world and made Afghanistan proud and victorious,” adding, “This is particularly pleasing that the entire election operation was conducted by Afghans, from conducting the election till providing security and the media coverage.”
If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the first round – which with 8 candidates is unlikely – a second round must be held pitting the top two candidates against each other that may elongate the whole process into months.
So far there has been no serious allegation of fraud and all eyes will now be set on the preliminary results from the first round that are not expected until April 24.
(Photos: Aaquib Khan)